HIGHLIGHTS

Mehbooba Mufti made emotional appeal to agitating youth to not be misled.

Mufti asked PM Modi's help to resolve issues.

CM assured concrete steps would be taken to address issues.

Mehbooba Mufti, J&K Chief Minister

HIGHLIGHTS

Mehbooba Mufti made emotional appeal to agitating youth to not be misled.

Mufti asked PM Modi's help to resolve issues.

CM assured concrete steps would be taken to address issues.

As an encounter raged between militants and security personnel in curfew-bound Srinagar, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in her Independence Day speech made an emotional appeal to agitating youth to not to be misled and maintained that dialogue is the only way to resolve issues.

PEACEFUL PROTESTS

"In democracy, people have every right to come out to protest but the protest should be peaceful. If in these protest violence takes places with petrol bombs and at times grenades being thrown then it becomes a problem," Mehbooba said. She, however, insisted that she was not saying while dealing with protesters no mistake was committed by the security forces. "I assure you that whosoever has gone against the directions of her government, he will be held accountable," she said.

HOPES PM MODI ADDRESSES ISSUES

The chief minister also blamed the successive leaderships at the Centre, starting from Jawaharlal Nehru, for the problems of Kashmir and hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the issues and take the process started by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to its conclusion.

"The notion that creating disturbances and fueling violence will lead to resolution of the problem is completely misplaced as Kashmir underwent perilous phase of violence in early nineties leaving behind a scary trail of death and destruction. Have we achieved anything out of that gory era of bloodshed and devastation?" she asked.

ADDRESS ISSUES OF STATE

Mufti insisted that unlike 2008 and 2010, this time concrete steps would be taken to address political, social and economic issues of the state. "Time has come for the leadership of the country and the State to fully retrieve the people of Jammu & Kashmir, with honor and dignity, from the political uncertainties they are engulfed in for the past seven decades," she said in her address at Bakshi Stadium here.

Mehbooba said violence only deprives and devastates the people of opportunity and a better life. "The dialogue and reconciliation is, and remains, the only way of settling any disputes, be it regional, territorial or indigenous conflict," she said. Earlier, Mufti had to face an embarrassing moment when the tricolor fell off the post as she stepped up to hoist it. The flag fell to the ground she pulled the string attached to the post to unfurl it. Later two security personnel held the flag as Mehbooba gave the ceremonial salute. Police has ordered an inquiry into the incident.